City hotel evacuated after blaze

Jan 9 2008 By Tony Collins

A HOTEL in the centre of Birmingham had to be evacuated after a fire on the seventh floor. The Travelodge in Broad Street was cleared of staff and guests after smoke began pouring along a corridor shortly before 8.30pm yesterday.

Four fire appliances were sent to the scene following reports that people were trapped inside the eight-storey hotel.

Broad Street was closed to traffic for about two hours and the hotel evacuated while firefighters wearing breathing apparatus carried out a search of the building.

West Midlands Fire Service spokesman Dave Burton said they were able to give the all-clear after failing to find anyone left inside the smoke-filled hotel.

The fire was confined to a linen cupboard in the corridor on the seventh floor.

Mr Burton said the cause of the blaze is still being investigated and fire investigation officers were at the scene carrying out checks.

The fire was confined to the linen cupboard but the corridor, and the one above, were both smoke-logged.

A man was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation following a fire at a sheltered accommodation block at Beech Court, in Herrick Road, Saltley.

The fire, which was discovered shortly after 7pm yesterday, was caused by food being left on a cooker in the kitchen of a one-bedroom flat in the three-storey block.

The occupant was led to safety and treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to hospital.